


Peckish Prefect Percy

by Anonymous



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Arithmancy (Harry Potter), Eating Disorders, Hurt Percy Weasley, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Percy Weasley Needs a Hug, Protective Oliver Wood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-17
Updated: 2020-07-17
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25342387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: Oliver Wood is one of the least emotionally observant guys in Gryffindor- a big reason why he's single. However, he still feels a permeating sense of wrongness when his dormmate Percy Weasley quietly demands to join in on his morning runs. And Oliver feels like he's the only one that can see that Percy is far too thin to be participating in anything other than lifting a quill.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 88
Collections: Anonymous





	Peckish Prefect Percy

Oliver has always made sure that people knew they could come to him if they were in any sort of trouble. He's not very good at emotional comfort, but that isn't to say he would push somebody off of him for crying on his shoulder. If some little first year was having homesickness, then he could ask one of the older Gryffindor girls to comfort or talk to them. Oliver could handle the other, older and troubled students.

As he jogged around the edge of the Quidditch field, Oliver couldn't help but think that maybe he should be asking someone about talking with Percy.

Percy is behind him, not exactly failing, but not-exactly-jogging along. The Weasley's face was reaching the frighteningly pale stage that people here usually fret over. However, along with pale skin was a sort of small grin and focused eyes. Oliver figures it'd be cute if Percy's lips didn't look so dry and if Percy's eyes didn't have a bruised look to them.

When they stop to take a break, which later becomes an end to the run entirely, Oliver feels so very weird when he has to grab Percy's wrist to stop Percy from running another lap. He can explain how strange Percy's limb felt, though he can't explain the awkward feelings that follow it. It felt like an almost soft bone that had all its cartilage boiled out. A light thing that was supposed to be heavier, thicker. Percy Weasley is suddenly so much smaller than anybody he's ever held.

They both stand there, leaning against the pitch and gulping down water. As abrasive as any other Gryffindor, Oliver turns to Percy and asks in a gasping breath,

"Did' ya get punched or somethin'?"

Immediately, Percy's back straightens and a hard look comes over his face. Percy slightly leans away from Oliver.

"No. Why do you ask? "

Oliver's eyebrows furrow slightly, and it's too early to really think about how his actions should be more polite.

"Yah look like you've been punched, mate, "

Percy seems to relax slightly. Then, Percy grins slightly and gives out an odd laugh.

"I haven't been punched in years. Despite the twins' hatred of me, they've made sure that I wasn't 'allowed' to be the butt of anybody else's physical jokes, " Percy says.

Oliver nods in a way to show he was listening. There's so much bitterness in that last statement but Oliver doesn't feel like it's his place to comment. He guesses his first thought- that the twins aren't _that_ bad- wouldn't be well received.

"Well maybe you just need a hearty breakfast, we can head to the Great Hall now if you'd like. Seriously, you look skinnier than the girls on Witch Weekly, " Oliver says half mindedly as he stretches his arms and neck.

Not even expecting a no, Oliver begins walking back towards Hogwarts. He stops and turns around when he realizes Percy isn't following.

And Percy is smiling with the happiest expression Oliver has ever seen on him before. It's alarming how much excitement is in Percy's eyes.

"Do I really look skinnier than the Witch Weekly models?" Percy asks. And to Oliver, it sounds like it was more so said into the wind. Percy is looking at Oliver but it's as though his eyes are focused _through_ him.

Carefully, Oliver lets his Quidditch Captain mind take the wheel. His more alert senses come to the forefront as he quickly observes Percy.

The running robes Percy borrowed from him look like they swallow his form. Even with the cloth made to be breathable, it looks heavy on the Weasley. Oliver quickly takes in Percy's thin face. Percy's cheekbones are high and prominent. He looks like a proper pureblood but he's lacking the rich softness that comes from being well-fed.

The entire situation now seems more delicate than when Oliver had a talk to Harry about exercising and eating over the summer. The emotional defensiveness in _that_ conversation was suffocating. (And Oliver didn't even get an actual answer from Potter! As though Potter somehow _wouldn't_ be able to just put in a little extra Quidditch work over the summer!)

"I was thinking more like," Oliver urges Percy to follow him and they both start up a trek towards the Great Hall "-you look almost like Potter really, " Oliver says, and he misses the immediate jealousy in Percy's eyes that seems to soar up before being masked by calm.

"Almost? What do you mean?" Percy asks. His words have a desperate tint to them.

"Like uh, " Oliver scratches his head as he thinks of the word, "oh! You look like that one thing Angelina thought Harry was! She described it, Anoexodia? Alodia? I can't remember the name right now, but mate you look like you haven't eaten in _weeks, "_ Oliver can remember how worried Angelina was, but really, Potter always ate proper amounts whenever Oliver looked. So after a few worry-filled weeks, Angelina laid off the idea.

Percy is so silent that Oliver finally deigns to glance at him.

And Percy is following him, but there's a new blank look that's swept over his face. His arms are wrapped around himself and he looks cold despite the morning to be in the most perfect weather Oliver's had.

"Percy?"

"I guess I haven't been doing well the past couple months," Percy whispers. Oliver feels awkward. Percy sounds more disappointed than tired.

When they finally reenter the school, Oliver grimaces and gives a light pat on Percy's back.

"Well, if you ever need to talk, the other sixth years are always open. You could always talk to me too, if you'd like, " Oliver says.

Silently, Percy turns away from the Great Hall and instead begins a walk back towards the Gryffindor dorms, assumedly to change his clothes. Oliver doesn't really care about wearing his sports robes in the dining hall. Oliver hopes to see Percy at breakfast later. Though there's a solid doubt present at the thought.

* * *

Oliver hastily places his school bag underneath his seat and plops himself down into the chair. It's his last class before lunch and he feels so much more drained than he usually is. Must have been the heavy breakfast and exercise this morning. Breakfast that he didn't see Percy at.

It's a silly thought, but Oliver hopes he didn't see Percy because Percy was sitting with his girlfriend or that maybe Percy snagged some food and left early before Oliver could catch a glance.

Well, Oliver thinks as he glances over the room, this _is_ one of the only elective classes he shares with Percy. Arithmancy. Oliver is proud of how surprisingly good he actually is in the subject.

It was an interesting class. Oliver liked being able to predict _battle_ outcomes with just numbers. He's tried applying it to Quidditch, but it didn't work as he wanted it to. Still, Oliver has always enjoyed listening to his father describe Roman and Greek wars to him as a child. Armies are fun. (He keeps his interest silent because when he was a first-year excited for History and loudmouthed and rude he said a touch too much about the Wizarding Wars and the other kids scowled and told him to be more sensitive about it.)

"-And that is why I will be giving you all group projects. Groups of two, I should say. There is an unfortunately small number of you. No, you will not be able to pick your partners," Professor Vector says.

Oliver sheepishly tries to hide his surprise as Professor Vector begins assigning everybody their partner.

"Mr Wood, I would have preferred to assign you a non-Gryffindor member, but apparently your classmates prefer Miss Trelawney's _class_ , so I am forced to play around with a smaller batch of individuals," Professor Vector sniffs, and her students hide smiles at her clear dislike of the other professor, "so I will be forced to assign another Gryffindor to you. Be sure to tell the younger years that Arithmancy will help them in the long run. You shall be paired with Mr Weasley,"

The class can't keep in their chuckles as Professor goes around the class, pairing people up and complaining about her colleagues. Oliver moves his chair to the side as Percy moves to his table.

"So what are we doing?" Oliver tentatively asks, silently hoping he didn't sound to lost. Percy frowns and scrutinizes him. Oliver guesses he failed.

"We will be simulating different outcomes of how a full-fledged wizarding attack would have on a town of muggles, I thought you'd have been more excited about this project," Percy says.

Oliver immediately brightens up. Before he can stop himself, he raises his hand and Vector calls on him.

"Are we using transfiguration to make the battles happen on a small scale, or are we just going to conduct with hypothetical battles?" Oliver asks.

Professor Vector grins widely. She sets herself down behind her desk and steeples her fingers atop the surface.

"That's going to be a surprise! For now, decide on the size of your attack and defensive groups, oh! And you may only use words from 'The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows,'"

Oliver leans down to get his textbook and some parchment. This is absolutely his favourite class. Small thoughts of how Percy's sleeves look too heavy for Percy's wrists are temporarily pushed aside.


End file.
